


your dog loves you

by boyfrendery



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, Gen, Nostalgia, Pets, Sentimental, there's some yutae if you squint really hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-28
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2020-05-28 08:55:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19390765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boyfrendery/pseuds/boyfrendery
Summary: taeyong stays up late thinking about ruby





	your dog loves you

**Author's Note:**

> title and story inspired by [this wonderful song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WybG8FesMc8). i highly suggest that you listen to it and read the [lyrics](https://hanhae.tumblr.com/post/172406757006/colde-feat-crush-your-dog-loves-you-eng).

Taeyong can’t remember the last time he saw Ruby. 

That’s a bit of a lie, actually – he can remember the weather that day, the way the grey monotonous clouds the filled the sky hung low enough to mask the top of the highest towers in Seoul. The droplets of rain falling on his skin as he walked from the doorway of his childhood home and into the sleek black company van. The look in the eyes of his family as he hugged them all goodbye, unsure of when he’d be able to see them again.

He can remember the last time he saw Ruby, but he isn’t sure if he wants to. Taeyong is all too familiar with these goodbyes, repeating themselves over and over as he’s thrown back into the idol life.

What’s worse is that she never knows it’s goodbye: Ruby is always waiting, content with knowing that she’ll see Taeyong again _eventually_ , whenever that decides to happen. 

“Hey, are you okay?” 

Taeyong looks up from his phone to Yuta on the other side of the tour bus’s couch. Another day full of promotional activities has passed, marking one night longer since the group has been in the US. It’s a quarter past 1am and the remaining members and staff have retreated to their beds. The small television at the back of the bus hums in the background, movie narration playing quietly as captions run across the screen. 

“Yeah,” Taeyong replies, his voice but a whisper. “Just thinking.”

Yuta moves closer to Taeyong and grabs the remote next to his leg, flicking the television off. “You weren’t paying attention anyway.” 

Taeyong gets up from the couch and repositions himself onto Yuta’s lap, head laying on his groupmate’s thigh. For a while they sit like this, the sounds of the highway outside filling up their silence. The brightness of his phone screen disappears as he flips it face down onto his stomach. “Do you ever miss Rapunzel?”

Yuta purses his lip and sighs. “Of course I do. I’ve been away from home for a long time – you know that.” 

A motorcycle revs its engine, the loud _whoosh_ of the vehicle coming and going as it passes the bus. Taeyong remains still, feeling the weight of his own body against the couch. His eyes glare into the roof of the bus. “Seeing the dogs today made me miss Ruby a lot. I miss my family too, but today just reminded me of her.” He rolls the side of his head, ear pressed against Yuta’s leg. “I’m worried she’ll eventually forget me.”

He reaches for his phone and holds it directly in front of his face, the screen nearly blinding in the darkness of the bus. He pulls up a photo taken from their interview earlier today: him laying on his side with a black and brown-furred puppy, hand rubbing underneath its chin.

Taeyong was only a teen when Ruby was a puppy. She was a small bundle of fluff, dark brown nose contrasting against soft white fur. Her wide smile and round eyes when they first met melted Taeyong’s heart, filling him with warmth – all good things in the world held in a small papillon. They became the best of friends from that day onward, side by side as they grew together.

With years passing and the date of NCT’s debut approaching, Taeyong spent more time in the practice room and less at home. He walked her as often as he could, legs fatigued from the hours of dancing, but even these moments came to an end when he moved into the SM dorm full time. Weekends spent at home became monthly visits for dinner, then becoming just vacation days as often as his schedule would allow.

“She won’t forget you,” Yuta eventually replies, hand resting on Taeyong’s shoulder. He runs his thumb across the bone along the resting boy’s collar. “She loves you. You’ll see her soon enough.”

Yuta’s words ring in Taeyong’s head, playing itself on loop. His eyes close shut as he falls asleep to the comforting thought. Sometimes open-ended promises – _eventually_ s and _soon enough_ s – are all the hope he needs to keep him going.

**Author's Note:**

>  _your dog loves you_ is one of my favourite k-r&b songs - the lyrics are too sweet. hope you all enjoy ♡
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/boyfrendery) | [cc](https://curiouscat.me/boyfrendery)


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